Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Without entering a competition, Debbie Phelps has become one of the stars of the Beijing Olympic Games: Her animated cheering for her son Michael as he chases Olympic history has made her a favorite among TV viewers. But Debbie says she is far from a stage mom — she maintains a hands-off policy as her swimming son seeks to become the first athlete to ever claim eight medals at an individual Olympics.

“This is his office; that’s how I look at Michael’s pool,” Debbie told co-host Matt Lauer during an exclusive appearance on TODAY. “He’s going to work, and his work is performing at his highest level.”

While Michael’s contact with his parents and his big sisters Hilary and Whitney is limited to phone calls and text messages during the Olympics, watching 19-year-old Michael tear through the competition in Beijing is a combination of ecstasy and racked nerves for his cheering family.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, than a video's worth is through the roof.